A Breath of Life
by Rebecca Pierce
Summary: It's not easy when the world hates you. But it's even worse when it doesn't.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

* * *

It was over.

He had known from the moment the life of his family had been threatened.

And now, as he lay dying in a hospital bed he certainly knew he didn't deserve, a deep sigh escaped him--taking with it a final breath, a final wish. . . the last of a series of heartbeats he had taken to counting whenever he couldn't stand the silence of the room. The steel of his gaze had long ago melted like the snow outside. Had instead become clear, gray, sapped of will and reflecting the storm brewing on the clouds outside his windowless existence.

His hand barely twitched.

No one would be there to care anyway.

* * *

She sat on her bed, her hands trembling. No matter what she did, it would never be enough. He would always be there in the shadows, waiting. She lifted her head, tears falling down her ashen cheeks as she closed her eyes, willing it all to go away. It had been a long time since she couldn't bear the tears, all coming back in one reflective blow of a dream in the suffocating darkness of her room.

What would it take to get rid of him? What would it take to rid this world of _it_. . . of her _pain_?

She was sick of fighting. She was tired, broken, and her soul shattered beyond repair. It was a wonder she continued breathing. She was beginning to lose faith in this world, in what it held that was so special.

Was this love she fought for really worth it? Were their bonds really worth protecting? With so much pollution, pain, and degrading acts smothering the light of the sun, it was hard to fly. She had been hurt countless times by them. Deep within her, pride screamed her injustice. The voices, her other pieces fought, the battle echoing in her skull, reverberating in such a way that shook her to the core and made her jaw clench.

They had tortured her, taunted her, shown her things that broke her from the inside out. They had taken her dignity, crushed her spirit, and killed her slowly. What she could have been was something that was best left to the shadows that were forcefully ignored.

Grief shook with a wailing scream, crying her loss of time.

And as this thought reached her mind, Raven sank into the deep softness of her pillows, simply listening. All the voices a mutated chorus of cries and debate, of fierceness and a passion for the light or the night.

Nonetheless, there was something they all came to once again agree on, once they had all but spent their energy to get her attention.

What would happen was unknown. When he would get a hold of her, they weren't sure.

But no matter what she did, the path she took would lead _all _towards the destiny of their world.


	2. Crumpled Faith

Hello and welcome to my first attempt at writing for others:) For now, I'll just do my best and hold on, so any reviews or flames are welcome, as long as they have a meaning to them (please, keep it real, peeps!). If my story sucks, give me a reason why it sucks. Other than that, nothing else for now. I'll try to do my best on updates, but I guarantee nothing, okay?

Disclaimer: If I owned them, Teen Titans would come in contact with a lot of interesting situations and people:) But I don't, so you'll just have to put up with me here.

Please review:D

**_Ch.1: Crumpled Faith_**

"_I think it's amnesia. . . I'm not sure though."_

"_Can't you enter his mind and find out?"_

"_No. . . Entering his mind in such an unstable state could cause a mental collapse."_

An involuntary shiver ran down his spine. He could somehow feel that they were talking about him . . . wherever he was, he suddenly realized that in no way could he be dead.

He made a feeble attempt at speaking, but his words and dazed questions came out in a series of moans. The sudden focus on him from the previous conversation he had heard (while still half asleep), was very tangible to him in his weakened state. And as he forced his dazed eyes to open and focus, five figures came into sight.

"Dude, he's waking up!" The blurry green outline, also the furthest one away from him, suddenly pushed past one of the others. There was curiosity evident in the movements as it twitched anxiously.

"Leave him alone, Beast Boy. The last thing he needs now is over-excitement. Don't push it." This voice he recognized from before. It was low and soothing even through the monotone depths and undercurrent of annoyance. It was then he had realized it originated from the figure to the immediate right of him.

He forced his tired head to turn, squinting in the brightness of the light streaming in from the large window behind the one called Beast Boy.

"Close the blinds, B." Another voice said, acknowledging his poor and confused state.

As the blinds closed, everything around him became clearer albeit with the impending doom of a large headache. It was as he tried to ignore the pounding in his head that he noticed he was laying in a bed. His gaze went to his side, where the closest person stood.

It was a girl with ashen skin and a strange stone embedded in her forehead. Her eyes were almond shaped, large and suspicious of every one of his movements. She tucked a strand of lilac hair behind her ear with a delicate gesture as a flash of curiosity came and went in a fleeting instant. A deep blue cloak hid her body beneath its formless shape, held up near her left shoulder by a stone similar to the one on her forehead.

It was her voice he had heard first in this strange, new place.

"I think Raven should take this one alone. Come on guys." A beckon from a young man behind the girl, which he recognized as the second voice in the conversation, trailed behind the three others he gestured out of the room.

There was a sudden silence in the chamber in which he questioned her simply with his gaze, which she returned without even flinching. She suddenly turned away from him.

"You took a big hit. From what, we're not sure. You were just laying there in the sun . . . they were sure you were dead." As his mind digested this information, he realized he honestly didn't know how to feel.

The girl took his silence as her queue to continue, dipping a cloth into a bowl which he hadn't noticed before. She continued her work, wringing it and bringing it to his face, not noticing his flinch.

"You ran a very high fever for a while. I couldn't heal you from the outside in, so we just had to wait it out and hope for the best. Even the hospital had given you for dead."

"I was dying though," He managed to force out in a painful croak, "I remember it."

At this, she shook her head, her chin-length hair shaking slightly with momentum. "You were in a deep coma. I have a feeling it has to do with the healing scar running down your back."

The scar? What-?

It suddenly came flooding back, pieces of the mental puzzle falling into place.

His parents, his new assignment, his failure to complete it.

Draco could feel his teeth grind painfully as his long pale fingers clawed into his skull in an attempt to lock out the sound that was stuck echoing within. His nostrils flared as the familiar smell of charred flesh filled the room, as the clean walls of the new room crumbled into blurring replicas of the small cabin where his mother's life had been taken away. The crushed black velvet chair, the large fireplace, candles, everything was there in that one moment suffocating him with its presence. Then there was the sudden searing pain of the slash down his back--his brand as a coward in Voldemort's court.

It took him a while to realize that the roar of pain, the yelling was his own.

_GO AWAY! _

Yelling out at her, at Voldemort to _please_ let him _go_. He pleaded with all of his heart, the scream undertoned by a cruel laugh he had but heard only once before.

He didn't know what happened or how. But suddenly it was gone; all of it. And the girl, Raven, was inexplicably crumpled on the floor beside his bed, shivering and gasping for breath just as much as he was. It was as if she had experienced his nightmare along with him.

The silence wasn't tense. . . it wasn't- well, he honestly didn't know what it was. Her voice suddenly broke through the thin veil of puzzlement that obscured his thoughts and their heavy breathing.

"Robin. . ." She whispered the name at first, as if testing her ability to speak. She swallowed hard, lowering her head into her hand as she called louder in her shaky voice. "Robin!"

A gray sliding door he had failed to notice before opened, revealing the young man she had spoken with while Draco slept, looking alarmed as he kneeled beside her.

"Raven wha-"

"Take care of him." She said in a gruff voice. And without another word, her outline became lined by a black aura as she melted into the floor and disappeared.


	3. In Heaven's Eyes

Thankies for the reviews :D You guys rock! Hope my efforts are enough to keep you all happy. :)

**Ch.2: In Heaven's Eyes**

_There were leaves everywhere._

_It was a colorful torrent of green, orange, yellow, and red hues that swirled around him. The sun was setting, its warmth sending ribbons of light dancing between the small gaps left behind in the tree branches by the inevitable fall of the autumn leaves._

_Long shadows streaked the yellowing grass beneath his booted feet as he stood. He took a hesitant step forward, hearing the distinct crunch of dry leaves beneath them. His upraised arm sheltered his deep blue eyes from the warm rays of sunlight that streamed between the gaps of branches in the trees._

_He squinted, noticing a figure among the storm. He couldn't tell who it was for a moment, but then recognized the velvety cloak from afar._

_"Mom?" His voice sounded foreign to him. It was as if it were someone else speaking. Someone younger, stronger, and definitely innocent at heart; someone reaching to their loved one in a time of need._

_He didn't even realize he was running until he saw the blurs of trees around him. His breaths were beginning to come in deep inhales as he sped up his pace, well aware of the closing distance between them._

_He continued, on and on, the distance seeming eternal in his mind. She was alive! She was alive and here breathing, standing, and probably smiling.  
_

_She was almost at arm's length when she turned towards him, lowering the velvety midnight blue hood from her head silently._

_The sudden anguish he felt as the last of his hopes died away with the vision of the girl in front of him was what he would remember as the single most horrible feeling of them all. Horrible both at the fact that he had believed in a mere illusion, and horrible at the guilt that took hold and clutched his heart without mercy. Had he really believed that she would miraculously come back to life somehow? That maybe the magical world knew more about immortality and life itself than anyone really admitted?_

_No, of course. He was foolish to believe in such vain hopes._

_His mother and father were gone, no matter what he did. Time stood still for no one, and it was unmercifully cold towards those it exiled in her world of pain._

_He collapsed at the girl's feet, keeling over as he finally lost control and felt tears of anger trickle down his face. His breaths came in great shudders, each one deeper as everything came crashing down on him. Is this what the weight of the world felt like?_

_This must be it._

_For a moment he forgot the her presence as she stood over him. It startled him when she kneeled down to his level, bringing an ashen hand to cup his cheek and forcing him to face her. Her violet eyes were so . . . strange. For the span of an instant he felt as if his mother's presence was there within her._

_"I'm sorry." Her other hand went up, touching his skin lightly_ _as she wiped away his tears. Draco could smell a slight hint of lavender on her skin, could feel her breath on him as she spoke, and could see the sincerity that pooled in her gaze__. "Fate's called out to you too I guess."_

_Her violet hair brushed his cheek when she suddenly pulled him into a soft embrace as a mother would a child. She stroked his hair, saying nothing as the leaves continued to fall and the sun sank behind the horizon._

_"You're just like me." He heard her whisper suddenly, her breath warm on him. "You're just like me, Draco."_

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Draco Malfoy awoke with a strange sense of warmth; of renewal. And though none of his problems had been solved, they suddenly felt a lot lighter than they had in that whole year he had suffered internally at St. Mungos Hospital.

There he had been labeled as irreparable and had been left alive only by the mere chance that he was still breathing. Besides, who thought that a death eater deserved any pity?

The blonde teen shook his mind of such thoughts.

His eyes traveled idly over the room, recognizing his new surroundings well. He had been here for the good of three weeks, offered solace in the warmth of what his new companions called Titan Tower. Over the span of that time he had met four of the five occupants of said tower.

One was a green "changeling". He was strange both physically and mentally in Draco's opinion. With deep emerald eyes, moss green hair, and green skin, it was a wonder his teeth weren't green as well! He was short in stature and not the brightest wand in the bunch, but he made up for it easily. He had a certain sincerity and innocence of heart that Draco had learned to admire well enough to keep patience with him. He called himself Beast Boy.

Second was Cyborg, a half man-half robot. Though he had a vague notion, it took a big and patient explanation from the strange being himself to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together. He was smart and looked the part as well. Parts of him revealed pieces of his original human body, showing a blue eye contrasted from the dark and bare skin of his scalp. The other half of his face along with some other major body joints were covered in a strange metallic substance he had never seen before. It was as if he had electric blue veins, where something he called _data_ ran through. He said it enabled him to function as if he had normal human limbs, except more powered up.

His next encounter was the most painful of the four. His first impression of the female that bounded into the room and enveloped him in a bone crushing hug was, well, breathlessness. She was _excruciatingly_ stronger than she looked. Nonetheless, it was obvious in her movements that she was gentle in her ways. Her eyes were emerald, with the parts that were usually white in a human's eye a light leaf green. Her skin had an orange tinge to it, and her hair was of a deep brick red, sleek, and falling a little past her shoulders. She was the second tallest in the group. If he could compare her to anyone at Hogwarts, he dared to make the connection to Hagrid.

Last but not least was Robin, the unnamed leader of the group. It had been evident the first time Draco had awoken, and was even clearer now that his thoughts were less clouded.

He wasn't very tall, but not overly short either. He had jet black hair, and was the only one who hid his identity behind a mask. With fair skin and an aura of control, Draco understood why the others seemed to follow him most.

And as for Raven, the last of the group, he had yet to know.

The unknown of the five "Teen Titans" was still as elusive as the calm he sought. Through the others he heard of the second and last female titan, which seemed to be the total opposite of what he had recognized of her in the dream.

She was the one in the dream, she had been the one he first woke to, and she alone remained the one yet to meet face to face. And so like the ambitious slytherin prefect he had been, he managed to snake a bit of information from her companions. Unfortunately, it only made him realize that she would be a puzzle that would not allow him the luxury of being solved easily.

"Her?" Beast Boy was currently perched beside his bed as Draco leaned his arms on bent knees. Something his father never allowed him to do in the presence of others. "She's. . ."

Draco turned his gaze towards the changeling, raising an eyebrow. "That bad?"

"N-no, no, don't get me wrong. . . it's just hard to try and well. . . describe her." At his puzzled look Beast Boy ran a green hand over his mop of unruly hair. "She's not like other girls. See, usually you can sort of generalize them sometimes, you know?"

At Draco's nod, he continued with a little more confidence. "Raven's had a pretty rough life. "I think-" He shrugged. "I don't know. She's just one of those people I don't understand. She can be one way for a second, then turn around and lose it in your face."

He grinned sheepishly. "But then again, it might be all the jokes and stuff that I play on her." Draco stayed silent as he tried to understand what his companion was trying to say.

"Well," Beast Boy smacked the bed, pushing himself up as he grabbed at his large grey pajama shirt. Leaning back on his heels, he let his loose dark green pants flutter and pool around his feet. "I gotta go change so I'll see ya' later. Maybe I can tell you a few jokes after breakfast."

Draco waved him off, sitting in bed silently for a while. He almost fell back to sleep until he heard the familiar sound of the strange grey door sliding open. He admitted that he expected Robin to be standing at the door, only to find the one person he thus far failed to meet, and yet hadcried in front of her (only in the dream of course). His gaze met hers as she silently walked up to the window across from his bed.

The deep blue hood of her cloak was down and yet her features were just as unreadable.

"How do you find it here?" Her question, though right, felt random to him. It was awkward, as if she was stumbling through the silent tension that suddenly seemed to flood the room.

"It's . . . nice." He almost missed her nod.

"You're recovering well. Robin says that all you have to worry about is the scar on your back. For some reason, the skin won't close up all the way."

She turned then, heading for the side of his bed and pulling out a roll of bandages he had failed to notice in her grasp before.

"Let me take a look."

"No." He heard himself blurt out immediately. She turned, her violet eyes slightly narrowing in annoyance. Her full gaze on him made his voice died away. He felt awkward.

"_You're just like me, Draco."_

He blinked, stopping himself from trying to shake the voice away. She was still watching him, except her gaze had become unreadable once more as she pulled out a small pair of scissors from a drawer on the white bedside table.

Somehow, Draco felt she knew.

"You do realize, that even though you've been my healer I still don't know you?" He lowered his gaze as he talked, not knowing what to expect from her. Of course, the dream was something way too personal to even try to bring up anytime soon, so he just set that as far into the back of his mind as he could. Instead he stared off into oblivion, well aware of her silent presence. Her response would determine just how much she knew. Still, he wasn't prepared for what she replied.

"My visions with you in them haven't been a walk in the park." She looked down at the bandages as she spoke, watching the scissors tear easily through the fabric."They've been a little too vivid for my taste."

"What?"

"Your feelings are enough to drown in, honestly. If you don't control them, one of us has to leave this place."

"What? Why?" He asked, more puzzled than before.

"One of my powers is empathy. I can literally feel everyone's emotions around me, whether I like it or not. When you first came here, it was hard to heal you because your emotions kept blinding me and awakening my own. My anger found yours. My guilt found yours . . . other things match up that I'd rather not talk about."

"_You're just like me."_

At this he suddenly understood. When she had last been in his presence he had been feeling _guilt_. And it had been very strong too. That explained her sudden fall to the floor that day and how she had reacted to him. On and on his thoughts went, making connections faster than he could really linger on them.

It was then he realized that she must be harboring some painful secret as well, if something like this could awaken kindred feelings within her. Something deep and hard to comprehend alone.

"Is that your reason for lack of visits?" She nodded.

He guessed that now that he seemed more emotionally stable, it was deemed alright by her to pay a second visit.

"Turn and take off your shirt." The sudden order pulled him sharply out of his thoughts as he turned to her with a strange look.

As their gazes met, he realized she wasn't going to give in easily. His thoughts started up quickly once more, this time speculating why in the world she'd ask for something like that. The hint of lavender that filled his nose did't help in making his judgment any clearer. Through the inflection of her voice he knew it wasn't a question, nor a gentle suggestion, which couldn't help but send the proud Malfoy into a state of annoyance and puzzlement which was evident in the familiar frown that graced his pale features.

"I don't take to orders lightly." He said in a low voice. Raven raised an eyebrow.

"Well then, you better have a will ready. Keep that wound and an infection will make sure you see nothing but the back of your eyelids for the rest of eternity." He glared silently at her for a moment, but answered with no hesitance in his voice.

"So be it."A scowl. "I don't have anything to stay for anyway."

To this Raven turned to him, a deep fire of annoyance burning in her eyes. "Yes, you do. You have to repay me for healing you. It would be a waste to see my efforts thrown away on such stupidity."

Anger began to tug at him as his eyes became their usual icy hue. But instead of the hatred and haughtiness that had been presented to one Harry Potter, there was only the same annoyed flame being kindled within them that reflected Raven's feelings.

"No one asked you to save me." He retorted coldly. She clenched the scissors with trembling fists, silence falling between them.

"Would you prefer me to kill you then?" Draco turned to her, noticing an unreadable expression pass through her eyes.

"If I said yes?" To this she stood silent, the scissors still in her hands. Suddenly, she tossed them upwards, then catching them in the same hand with the sharp point facing Draco. Raven then grabbed his hand with a quick jerk, shoving the handle of the makeshift weapon into it and closing his fingers roughly around it.

"Do it yourself."

She then stalked angrily out of the room.


	4. Gaps

**A/N**: Hi, hi! Long time no see! Hhhmmm. . . What to say . . . well, thanx for tuning back in, and I'm glad you're here :D Keep reviewing so that I keep writing, k? I apologize for the slowness of the story, but obviously, these two are sort of hard to work with. They tend to wander off and clash a lot. But it keeps things interesting, ne?

Disclaimer: Must I remind you I own no one in here? Well, maybe the small side characters, but I will say so if I do put some in. Otherwise, I own nothing but the idea, capeesh?

**Ch.3: Gaps**

The rest of the week had passed with no incident. Draco had even felt well enough to begin exploring well outside the small infirmary he had first awoken in.

But he had yet to see Raven again.

He hadn't even had any dreams as of late. Everything had gone well, if not a bit monotone since her last visit, which left him in a turmoil of confusing emotions. Even through the calm of the evening tide outside the window, he couldn't forget everything that had happened.

How she had done such a marvelous job, effortlessly making him rethink what he wanted drove him mad. Pansy Parkinson had never had that sort of power over him. On the contrary, he had always been the one in command. And even though he had only minor experience with those of the opposite sex, he knew well enough that feelings of this nature would only cause disarray; which was exactly what they were doing.

As he stood standing out the den window, he couldn't help but wonder why now, of all times, she was suddenly recurring in his mind. Maybe it was the guilt behind what he had said. Even though he had meant every word of what he had said, he felt as if he had stabbed deeper into her than he had intended to.

Starfire was no help in the matter as she bounded in.

"Friend Draco!" She yelled chirpily, "It is glorious to see you at such early an hour!"

He didn't even get a chance to speak as she flitted up to him, her hands clasped excitedly up to her chest as she spoke of breakfast and what she would be cooking today. Robin was close behind her, which she suddenly noticed and thus turned her efforts on him.

The Boy Wonder gave him a silent nod as he led Starfire away. Returning it, Draco turned back to the window with an empty mind. With others around, he never really had the chance to just reflect on everything. He had to admit that having Crabbe and Goyle around had dulled his sharp sense of thought.

So what of them, back in England? He had found to be on the shore of the American country. Though at first he hadn't taken to it well, he soon warmed up to the idea. Was this a chance to redeem himself for his past mistakes, or a new chance to mess everything up in someone else's life?

Maybe a little of both? It was like taking three steps forward and one back. But what else could he do? He wasn't strong enough to face the wizarding world back in Europe, let alone Voldemort, even though his painful reminder burned through the pale skin of his back.

"Right Draco?" He turned at the sudden mentioning of his name, looking at Beast Boy. The changeling's green hair was still partially matted from the pillow and his movements a bit dazed. Beside him Raven stood as poker faced as ever.

"I was saying to Raven here," He said gesturing to the silent girl, "that she should get out more. You too. You've been inside so long, it's a wonder you haven't gone crazy in here. I would."

"Well," Draco countered, "You haven't been out much yourself."

Beast Boy shook his head. "Dude, you sleep like a rock! You don't even hear the alarms go off at night do y- ow!" Raven had elbowed him quite stronger than she intended, but it still got the message across as Beast Boy glared at her. Draco's blue eyes widened in confusion.

"What alarms?"

"Nothing you have to be concerned about." Raven cut in with finality in her voice. Their gazes met for a second before she turned on her heel and headed for the kitchen.

"Jeez, you'd think she'd-" He suddenly remembered that he was standing next to Draco and clamped up. "Yeah, heh. Anyway, you, uh, wanna get out or not?"

"It's snowing though." Draco's gaze shifted towards the window. Beside him, Beast Boy shrugged.

"Yeah, so?"

"It's cold." Draco clarified.

"Just put on a jacket, no big." He didn't know how to answer to that. So instead, he nodded.

"You can borrow one of Robin's. I think you're closest to his size. We'll leave after breakfast, okay?" Draco nodded and turned back to the window as Beast Boy left to ask Robin for a coat. Left once again alone, Draco drifted into empty idleness as he stared out the window.

"She wanted to let you rest." Draco turned to the side, caught by surprise at the sudden appearance of Cyborg beside him. His silence astounded the Malfoy heir.

"What?" Cyborg's blue eye focused on one slowly falling flake of snow that melted as it came into contact with the window.

"Raven. She made a spell that made it so that you wouldn't hear or see the alarms go off."

"Alarms for what?" Cyborg grinned.

"We're superheroes, dude. We protect the city when they need us." He shrugged as he turned back to the window. "Hey, it's a tough job, but someone has to do it."

A sudden image of an angry Gryffindor passed before Draco's eyes. The other young man's eyes, green and full of a hatred Draco had never seen before; even in his own father's gaze. And a pained determination to continue, even though all others seemed to long give into the fear. An anger directed at the last of the Malfoys now standing on the brink of a large abyss to nowhere.

"She's a bit rough around the edges, but she's the most hurt of all of us. Don't pull another stunt like the one you did ever again. You don't know how much you hurt her when you say those things."

"No, I don't." Draco agreed, snapping back to the present, "But she also doesn't know how much she hurts me by keeping me alive."

To this Cyborg had no reply. He wished he did, but found no words to console the young man beside him. Nor to fight in his silent friend's defense. His features hardened suddenly and his voice came out with a threatening undertone.

"If that's what you want, leave. I don't want to see her break again." And without another word, Cyborg turned and left to join his fellow titans at the breakfast table.

Break.

Break _again_.

There were just too many loose threads everywhere.

Draco joined them soon after, wondering what exactly was going to happen now. For a moment his gaze had met Raven's but nothing happened. There was no connection anymore, there was nothing there.

It was in that one moment he realized just how big the fledgling gap had grown between them.


	5. A Snowball's Chance

Disclaimer: If I owned these people, you would've been seeing stuff like this on all cartoon channels that pass Teen Titans. :P So I guess I don't own then. Oh well.

A/N: Well, shorter than I intended it, but I put in a lot of thought into it. Still though, not completely satisfied . . . well, as long as you guys like it, it's okay with me :) Uh, notes . . . well, nothing really. I have a lot of basic plans for future chapters, heh heh. . . yeah. Hope to hear more feedback from all of you reading this!

Enjoy!

**Ch.4: A Snowball's Chance**

It was cold beyond anything back in Hogwarts.

That was the first thought that ran through Draco's mind as he stepped out into the newly fallen snow, his borrowed jacket barely helping. The cold nipped at his exposed face and hands without mercy.

Nearby, Beast Boy happily romped through the snow as a green husky, his jaws wide open and his tongue sticking out. His breaths were visible in the afternoon sun as he panted wildly, chasing a Frisbee Cyborg and Robin were throwing back and forth.

Starfire watched from her perch on a tree branch nearby, cheering Beast Boy on as he leapt up and attempted to catch the Frisbee. As for Raven, she was levitating with her feet crossed, watching the game with her usual monotone expression.

Draco himself was leaning on the tree Starfire was sitting on, also watching with mild to no interest. His mind was idle, toying with an unexpected item in the pocket of the borrowed jacket.

"_Here. . . I'm sure you'd want this back." For the first time since the scissor incident, Raven had come up to him and willingly spoken. The other titans were currently distracted by other activities, thus saving her the embarrassment of having their surprised gazes upon her._

_Draco's blue eyes went from her poker face to the item being held out by her ashen hand. He reached out for it almost instinctively, suddenly recoiling from it as he turned his gaze away. The wound on his back began to burn, as if feeling his hatred boil within it. "It's not mine." He lied._

_Raven looked from the smooth stick in her hand to the boy in front of her. _

"_He used it, didn't he?" His eyes widened as he turned to her._

_Her eyes were soft, suddenly reminding him of how young they both really were. She knew, he suddenly realized, she knew._

_And though the wand now in his grasp seemed to burn him, he grasped it tightly. She gave it up with barely a struggle, already beginning to turn on her heel as her eyes returned to their usual emptiness._

"_He did." Draco suddenly whispered. "And he'll keep using it to; once he finds me alive."_

_Raven stopped suddenly, silence between the two lone teens in the room. She turned so that he could see the thinned out lips that were revealed beneath the shadow of the hood when she tilted it just enough to send her gaze upon him. He looked deep within her eyes, Neville Longbottom's determined gaze suddenly appearing within her violet orbs._

"_No, he won't. Not if you choose to fight him. Not if you choose to live." She turned fully, if not a bit hesitantly, bringing her hood down as their gazes locked._

"_Not if you let us help you." Draco looked up at her, almost feeling the gap between them close little by little. _

_She was offering him what he needed, he realized. She was offering him a friend._

_The abyss was deep within each of them, but Draco Malfoy was beginning to understand what he had failed to see before. Nothing was forever, as was proven by the sudden collapse of his life. And sometimes, the smallest of mistakes could cause an effect of devastation beyond measure._

_Nothing was ever certain._

_He suddenly smiled, getting up from his perch on the couch and walking towards the large den window. His blue orbs reflected palely in the bulletproof glass as he stood looking out to the snowy skies. Crossing his arms, he cocked his head slightly to the side, feeling awkwardly childish as his emotions began to suddenly not feel as tangled and knotted as before. There was a small voice in the back of his mind that suddenly chimed into his new thoughts. _

"_The snow melts so quickly when you touch it these days. . . doesn't it?" He turned to see the puzzled expression on Raven's face, his eyes boring into her as a shiver went down her spine. "It's so fragile." _

_Her reaction was of utter bewilderment as she joined him at the window. She scrutinized him with a raised eyebrow._

"_When you think you can touch it, it melts in the warmth of your hands. You can't become like it in order to become one with it because it's not possible, obviously. So you keep letting it melt away helplessly."_

_Realization hit the titan as she suddenly looked out the window with a distant gaze._

"_Yeah, it does . . . You can watch it swirl beautifully, yet when you touch it, it melts away into nothingness on you." Draco nodded. "It always leaves you with nothing but the cold feeling in your hands."_

_A comfortable silence once again settled between them, each left to their own memories of a bitter cold left behind by those that had once been alive._

"_There is hope though." Draco whispered into the silence. His breath formed a small haze on the window before him, lacing a bit of his mother's own hopes into his voice. He turned to her. "See, when the conditions are just right, you can roll it together and form something really neat from it. Igloos take a lot of work. A snowman is better because it's easier, but it takes just as long sometimes." Raven turned to look out the window, smiling as openly as if it were a sunny summer day. Her voice was laced with content as she answered his vague metaphor. _

"_But sometimes, even a small snowball can be more than enough."_

Draco fingered the wand in his pocket, his gaze lifting to inadvertently land on the young woman with the blue cloak that said individual vehemently refused to change out of in the cold.

And in the silence of that moment their eyes met, she smiled just for him. And with it, the warmth from the sun suddenly seemed to seep into the deepest of crevices in his heart.

Maybe, just maybe, they had a snowball's chance of building themselves from the rubble into something a little better. Maybe that small snowball would one day make him strong enough.

………..

**Next time, on A Breath of Life! . . . **

**Rumors of the Malfoy's survival reach certain British ears: Draco Malfoy, meet fellow Britishman Mad Mod.**

**See ya next time! **


	6. As Mad As A Malfoy

**A/N: Long time no see! Hah! Lol. Anyways, it's short, but things are starting to go forward finally, and there's actually more than internal problems! Lol. Anyways, hope you guys like. Reviews are always welcome! **

**Disclaimer:** Meh. . . no own them, you no sue me.

**Ch.5: As Mad As A Malfoy**

There was a small cloud of dust that rose as the plain tan folder was thrown on the negotation table. Pink cat-like eyes met blue ones as no emotions were revealed. Everything was silent until the teen girl opened her mouth.

"I think there's something that'll interest you a lot in this." A raised eyebrow was the respones of the man sitting across the table from her. There was silence once again as he scrutinized her, slowly reaching for the folder. Clasping it tightly in his old grip, he opened it. A momentary confusion crossed his features as the one item on top caught his attention.

_MALFOY LINEAGE GONE?_

The wizarding newspaper's headline stuck out like a sore thumb against the starch white background of the paper.

He glanced up at the girl before him,who watched his reaction and then looked down at the folder in his hands. Following her gaze, he took the clipping and set it aside on the table.

What was beneath the clipping was what shocked him.

Below the clipping was a picture of a young man with white blonde hair and stunning blue eyes set into a pale and cold face. He was looking at someone else and obviously had no idea he was being watched.

"He's alive, Mod." He heard Jinx say with a smirk. "And I know where he is."

Mad Mod looked up at Jinx with wide blue eyes, the connections suddenly being made at lightspeed in his mind. A business-like smirk suddenly overtook his features as he leaned back in his chair, putting the folder in front of him on the small table. His hands went to rest on the chair's armrests, his left hand hovering over the cane that was leaning on the chair and awaiting Mod's touch.

"What do you want in exchange?" Jinx smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Bring me the Titans on a platter."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Draco muttered a curse at his wand, whacking it against the coffee table in frustration. All the spells he had tried thus far were not working, or sending sparks all over the place. He was currently alone with Raven, who sat curled up on the opposite end of the couch with a book. She had not looked up once through the whole ordeal.

He frowned, wishing deeply to just chuck the useless stick of wood out the window. Of course though, retrieving it later would make his satisfying throw be in vain.

It was at this moment that Raven decided to finally join him and surprised him by taking it out of his hands. He had been stewing so deeply in his own frustrations that he hadn't even heard her stir.

She looked at it silently, turning it over in her hands.

A look of pain suddenly crossed her features as she dropped it, looking down at the want now lying between her and Draco.

"What did you see?" Draco asked with a stern look. Raven massaged her wrist, looking down at the wand uncertainly and then up at him. Her violet eyes held a stern look.

"He's in there." A look of confusion passed the Slytherin's face.

"He's taken over your wand. You can't use it without him seeing you."

"Why?"

"It's a special spell. Takes lots of energy, but it's like tagging your enemy so that they can never hide from you. This must be his way of keeping you under his control. Anything he wants to do to you he can, as long as you keep the wand. You have quite some luck to have your wand be on the fritz then, because now you can't even use it if you wanted to."

"But then how did I escape? I was bedridden a long time. He had me right where he wanted me!"

"Someone must have helped you, or you somehow broke through the spell momentarily. I wouldn't know how, unless you told me everything that happened." Silence came between them as she let her question sink in.

There are ways to overcome it, but there could be big consequences, and not all good." Draco looked up at her with a frown.

"Like what?"

"Someone could break the spell for you, but it takes such an amount of power that it could cost their lives. A soul isn't meant to handle the amount of power he's handling alone. And if done between two, it could mess them up internally. It culd leave them mentally unstable." Draco sighed.

"In other words," He muttered, "it qould leave them insane. . . right?" Raven looked at him, nodding curtly.

"So if I did it alone. . ."

"It would be suicide." Raven finished bluntly. "And there would be no point. Rumor in the magic world has it though, that there is a way to break it without losing anything, though I doubt this would help much." Draco looked up at her expectantly.

"Ever heard of Harry Potter?" She asked. Draco turned away with a scowl.

"Yeah, why?" He managed to get out between clenched teeth.

"When he was attacked as a baby, his mother's love protected him."

"That's stupid. Love is a feeling and not magic."

"But emotions are the fuel of magic. And if those feelings are tangible enough, they can even _become_ magic." As she had spoken, her voice began to lower to a hushed whisper. "If you had a strong enough connection with someone like that, that connection alone would break the spell without repercussions."

Draco turned away with a bitter laugh as he muttered, "I killed the last person who could've even possibly come close."

Luckily, Raven hadn't heard him.

If he had the guts to tell her, would she really still be here trying to help him? Would she accept the actions he had taken, the things he had done, and what he really was? Or better yet, would she even try? The other four titans had accepted him on her word. And if he didn't have her trust, it was more than certain he wouldn't have the rest of the group either. The gap between them was closing, yes, but there were secrets; secrets that if told, would drown him in the darkness he had sought to escape. But as things were going as of now, it was looking as if that end was inevitable. No matter how far he went, Voldemort would seek him out and stain his hands with the blood of more wizards. And Raven would look at him the way she had when she had shoved the pair of scissors in his hand.

_"You disgust me,"_ she would say, her eyes reflecting the same hatred he had seen in Harry Potter's eyes, _"You don't deserve to live after all you've done!"_

Besides, who would ever accept such a filthy soul?

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Greetings, my duckies!" Mad Mod greeted the Titans with a toothy grin. Robin scowled at the large briefing screen, asking in a gruff voice, "What do you want, Mod?"

Mad Mod shrugged, twirling his cane lazily as he shifted in his chair. "See, I got a little bored in jail, seeing as you so called Americans don't know how to have fun, and I thought, why not go and visit my little duckies in Jump City, eh? I hear your little family had an addition recently, and I just had to drop in for a visit."

Robin frowned. "Where are you!"

"Ah, ah, ah." Mad Mod said, wagging his finger at Robin on screen. "Not so quick now, Robin, old chap! Let me see your new friend first."

"Draco was standing in the hallway with Beast Boy, who had been on his way in when the alarms went off. Out of cautious instinct, Draco had been literally thrown out of the den by Robin, who had run in quickly, and had been told to stay there with Beast Boy until everything was settled with whomever was calling.

The green changeling had hastily explained that if whoever was calling knew about him, then they might have to deal later with a hostage situation, which could make any mess much bigger than they could afford.

"Why care who we let join or not, huh?" Cyborg asked from behind Starfire. "You never cared who became a Titan, so why now?"

"See, your little friend comes from my jolly old England, so I wanted to see what news he had for me, you know? Catch up on old times!" He laughed. "He knows a friend o' mine-- small world, isn't it? Someone who I haven't heard of in quite a while and I'd like to know how he is"  
Robin raised an eyebrow.

"Oh Draaaaaaaaacoooooooooooooooooooo!" Mad Mod yelled in a sing-song voice, "Come out, come out wherever you aaaare!" He laughed.

"Come on, boy, just a cup o'tea is all I'm asking! I wanted to know how old man Voldemort is doing! Has he conquered Hogwarts yet? Heard you got in quite a skirmish with your headmaster! You're such a bad boy, Draco, should'da listened to your father when you had the chance, hmm? How's your mother doing? Such a lovely lady she was, yes. Too bad you just had to be such a rebellious little boy, huh? Never could replace such great folks. Shame, shame."

In the hallway, Draco's eyes were wide with shock. Poor Beast Boy was trying in vain to hold him up, slowly falling to a kneeling position on the floor as he tried to snap Draco out of his breathlessness. Out in the den, the remaining four titans digested the new information in silent confusion.

"Well, guess I caught him at a bad time, eh? Draco boy, I will come to look for you later, alright? You owe me a cup of tea, my duckie!" He laughed, shaking his head. "Titans, been a pleasure seeing you," at this he muttered something under his breath, "yes, well, I must leave you now, but Draco! I will come back for you, boy! Hogwarts is in an uproar without you around, you know!" He laughed heartily at this, a smirk appearing on his face as he said finally, "I'm sure Voldemort will be ecstatic to know you're still alive."

And then the screen blanched.


	7. While Angels Slept

**A/N: Hey, long time no see! XD Anyways, not much to say except that I'm running into this blind and all the characters are doing as they please now. So hold on, and enjoy the ride, because I have no idea where this will go. . .**

**Disclaimer: **If I owned all of this stuff, I wouldn't exactly be sitting in this small room typing away at about midnight, hoping my mom doesn't catch me on the computer this late at night. Capeesh?

**Ch.5: While Angels Slept**

It was currently a little past three in the morning, and still Draco found no solace in the temptation of sleep. His mind tried in vain to remember if the strange man asking for him had any real connection to his former self. Still, he had never heard the name 'Mad Mod' until Robin had later briefed him a little on the criminal of European origin.

He turned onto his side in the bed, facing the moonlight that streamed in through the uncovered window. In a sudden ironic moment, he thought of his former competition and schoolmate, Harry Potter. And for some strange reason, he wondered if the brunette might be looking at the same moon he was now. And if he was, what was he thinking? What things were burdening his shoulders? Was he winning or losing in his struggles? Most likely, he probably had found a loophole by now, and Voldemort was screaming in frustration.

He grinned at the thought.

The Malfoy heir had seen him do such before. Of course, at the time it hadn't seemed as funny. Things then had been different; so different in fact, that sometimes Draco wondered if what he believed to be his past had been nothing more than a horrendous nightmare. But it was at moments like these that he looked down at his hands, finding scars and wounds that had been left behind; reminders that it had happened. Reminders that his parents had paid the consequences of his actions.

Reminders that he was Draco Malfoy, and that no matter how far he ran, things would never change and Voldemort would always be lurking in the shadows behind him.

**XXXXX**

She wasn't exactly sure why, but no matter how much she tossed and turned, something inside her told Raven that sleep wasn't an option tonight. She blamed the last skirmish the Titans had encountered at the hands of Jinx and her pals for the kinks in her back and wished nothing more than to relax, but knew the night would yet be a long one. Still, stubbornly she stayed in bed, hugging the covers and literally diving into her pillow with a huff as she readjusted for what seemed the millionth time.

It was hot.

She kicked off the covers, growling in frustration as she finally gave in and sat up.

The titan sat still for a moment, lost in the silence of the night. Not even the waves lapping onto the small island seemed to make a sound. For a brief moment she wondered if Control Freak had gotten loose again and had pressed mute on the world.

Shaking her head of such bizarre (yet amusingly possible) notions, she lay back down in bed, facing the ceiling. Her violet eyes trained on the gray surface of the shadow infested paint, wondering once more why she hadn't attempted to redecorate again. Of course, the thought of a certain Tamaranean finding out and dragging the poor empath on a trip to the mall suddenly reminded her why her plans for such had crashed and burned.

A sigh.

Tonight was getting nowhere fast, and neither was Raven's impatience and frustration.

Sitting up once more, she stretched her sore back, lifting her hands and clasping them together as she arched her back like a cat. After bringing her hands back down, she shook her head as if to clear the cobwebs forming there, scooting herself to the edge of her bed.

Swinging her legs over the edge, she winced as a jolt of pain ran up her left leg. Of course. She had been kicked squarely in the ankle. And of course. She had forgotten that she was temporarily maimed.

Cursing both Jinx (who had paid said kick with a vengeful elbow to the nose), and her own impatience (even her demonic powers couldn't heal pain that quickly without draining her sometimes, so she avoided unnecessary use of it--it wasn't like in those animes Beast Boy enjoyed, where the half-breed demon simply healed in the span of two seconds), Raven hobbled over to the door, leaning on the doorframe for a moment before finally hopping out of her room.

**XXXXXXXX**

To her surprise, when she silently shuffled towards the den, she wasn't the only one there. Standing by the window, lost in thought completely, was Draco.

She wasn't sure whether to join him or not. After the whole Mad Mod incident, he had closed off completely and said nothing of what had been mentioned about him. Though Robin had tried to attack the problem head-on as usual, Draco had simply said it was none of his business and had no right intruding on his affairs. After a brief argument (in which Draco was almost kicked out of the tower), the other four titans managed to calm the Boy Wonder into rational thought once more, reasoning that if Draco left, then they would have no idea what was going on with Mad Mod. Robin had simply nodded, glaring at the European boy's turned back as he retreated to the seclusion of his room.

It had been three days since then, and to add insult to injury, Mad Mod hadn't shown his face around town since then.

Still.

Raven swallowed, joining him at the window.

"You couldn't sleep." It was a rather awkward statement that fell pathetically as an attempt to get him to talk. Nonetheless, he surprisingly answered.

"No. Too much to think about."

Why was he telling her this?

"I see."

No she didn't.

His eyes met hers as he glanced at her calmly. He clearly knew she didn't understand. Still, he didn't argue the point. Instead, he led his gaze back out the window.

"You once said. . ." Draco hesitated, the question lingering on his lips. He didn't dare look at her now. Her gaze was boring a hole in him. . . Or was that just his nervousness?

"You once said," He began again, swallowing as he kept his eyes trained on the water below, "that my emotions were what kept you away because they had connected to yours."

He could feel her suddenly tense.

"But you never explained to me. . ." Draco let the question hang in the air, turning to her slowly to gauge her reaction.

For a moment she was silent, her eyes flickering with an emotion he didn't quite grasp before it disappeared behind her usual poker face.

"There are things in the past that aren't meant to be mentioned. Just like you I made mistakes I'll regret and carry for the rest of my life. Just like you I carry a burden that kills me a little more each day. And just like you, I'm trying to find the redemption for things I can no longer change."

"Mistakes like what?" Draco prodded.

She turned to him, her face emotionless as she uttered a simple phrase that left him reeling.

"I was born."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Draco awoke to the sounds of Beast Boy and Cyborg running down the hall after Starfire, who he later found out had stolen their beloved Playstation in an attempt to blackmail them into going with her to the mall.

Once he had fully dressed in black jeans and a black turtleneck (Starfire's choice; she had dragged him out wardrobe shopping with Robin once--he wouldn't commit that mistake ever again), he made his way up to the den, watching as the elevator passed the floor where Raven's room was. For a moment he thought of trying to go talk to her, but dismissed the thought as absurd when he realized there wasn't much to say.

Sighing, he watched as the doors sluggishly pulled open, allowing him to enter the hallway leading to the den.

Once inside, he found it nearly empty. Robin was watching TV, waving a hello as he quickly filled in Draco on where the others had gone.

It seemed Starfire had gotten her way once more.

As for Raven, the only other remaining titan in the tower, she was still in her room.

After what she had said last night, he wondered what exactly she had meant. She obviously wasn't suicidal. If she was, he would've picked up on it. Being a death-eater meant he could pick up things like this a mile away, and she didn't radiate that type of energy.

So now what?

Here was where he was hesitant to act.

From what he had observed, Draco could tell there was a strong link between the boy currently in front of him, and the girl downstairs who refused to say much. Prying the Boy Wonder would be a million times easier than prying Raven herself, but it would still be very hard.

Not only that, but he was quicker to anger.

But what other choice did he have left? Maybe by helping her first, he could find a way for his own redemption. So sitting down next to Robin, he stared blankly at the television and leveled out his voice.

"Robin, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. . ."

**XXXXXXXX**

For the umpteenth time, Robin glanced up at the clock.

"They're fine." Raven said evenly over the edge of the book she was reading. She didn't even bother to look up.

"It's getting late thought, and none of them have answered their communicator. Maybe-"

"They just lost track of time." Draco interjected from his spot on the couch. His arm was lazily draped over his eyes as he tried to take a nap. Raven glanced at him, her eyes falling back to the words on the page.

"But-"

"If you have such a bad feeling about this," Raven grit out in frustration, glaring at the Boy Wonder, "then check on their location with the computer."

He seemed to think about it for a moment, running a hand through his jet black hair as he finally sighed.

"Yeah, I'll do that." Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

He could hear the clicking of the keys under Robin's nimble fingers, a continuous beep announcing it had found the signal of the communicators.

There was a strange silence for a few moments.

"Raven. . . . Come here now." There were few times when he actually took a commanding tone with her, and she knew to listen well when he did. Getting up with a curious look on her face that quickly passed, she silently set her book down on her spot in the couch.

Joining his side, she looked on where he pointed. Draco sat on the couch, his ears perked up as he listened in.

"See it?" Raven nodded.

"What is it?" Draco asked, his curiosity finally getting the best of him.

"These." Robin pointed to the three blinking dots on the screen. Draco looked at them, wondering what was the big deal.

"Yeah. . . . What about them?"

"They haven't moved."

"And that's. . . . bad?" Magic was his thing, not computers.

"Those dots represent Beast Boy, Starfire, and Cyborg." Raven explained calmly as Robin typed something into the computer. "Those little devices we carry," she showed him hers, "they have a special thing in them that allows us her in the tower to tell where those people are." Draco nodded. It sounded like the Marauder's Map.

"Why aren't they moving?" He questioned. Robin frowned.

"That's what's so strange. We don't know. Something could be wrong, or they could just be hanging out at the movie theatre."

"That's on the other side of the mall." Robin countered as he rezoned the map. Now the area shone was that of the mall area.

Draco suddenly had a bad feeling. It didn't help that Raven seemed to ask and pinpoint his worst fears.

"You don't think Mad Mod has something to do with this, do you?" Her violet eyes turned to Robin.

And as if on cue, the screen suddenly changed, the British flag waving in front of the camera, suddenly changing back to the normal screen.

"Does that answer your question?" Robin muttered with a scowl.

And without a second thought, he and Raven dove for the door. As for their Slytherin guest, a shiver ran down his spine as he watched the two remaining Titans leave. He just hoped that they made it on time.

**XXXXXX**

**Next time on A Breath of Life!**

**Robin and Raven are racing against the clock to find their fellow Titans. And while that's happening, Draco's going to have to face some problems of his own when he comes face to face with his past! Is redemption truly possible for someone like him?**


	8. Devouring the Hourglass

**Ch.8: Devouring the Hourglass**

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

_"There's something I've been meaning to ask you. . ."_

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Jump City Mall hadn't been hard to get into. On the contrary, it had been as simple as waltzing in through the double-doors. 

The place was nearly empty of people save for a few scared stragglers who were running around in circles searching for loved ones. After forcing two of them out the door, Raven and Robin continued through the large department store trying to remember the shortest way to the main doorway leading to the rest of the mall.

Bright lights and many sounds enveloped them as they continued on, television screens glowing and the bass from display radios sending quivers through them in rhythm with a rock song currently being played. Digital cameras watched them carefully from their stands revealing two passing blurs in the mini-display screens.

"They were near the food court." Robin said, knowing that Raven was listening, "We're in the electronics section right now. There's a shortcut through the-"

"Ah, I see you made it alright." A heavy British voice drawled over the store intercom. Robin scowled, his gloved green fists clenching in anger as he stopped abruptly, nearly making Raven run into him. He searched frantically for the source of the voice, his gaze scanning the ceiling tiles frantically.

"Where are they!" He yelled. Raven's eyes flitted around them, her hands twitching beneath her cloak. If need be, she was ready to shield herself and Robin.

Her hands flew up as she noticed movement in the corner of her eye, a shield forming around the two Titans. The movement she had seen was Mad Mod appearing simultaneously on all the television screens around her and Robin, a smirk on his features as his eyes bore into them from all directions.

Instinctively Raven positioned herself back-to-back with Robin, her shield slowly coming down.

"What have you done to them!" Robin asked, glaring daggers at one of the screens.

"They're all a little 'tied up' right now."

Mad Mod laughed at his own little joke, turning back to Robin and Raven on his screen.

"Now, I've been a little bored lately, so I thought we'd, oh I don't know, spruce things up with a little game. How 'bout it, eh?" His blue eyes widened behind the rims of his small circular glasses, excitement in his aura.

"We don't do croquet." Raven put in dryly.

Mad Mod frowned at her, waving the comment away. "Now my little duckies, you see Big Ben over there?" He pointed behind them, Robin and Raven turning cautiously. Raven couldn't help but roll her eyes, and Robin simply gawked.

"Gimme a break." He muttered.

Slumped against the far wall was a large man in the electronics section uniform, unconscious and with a digital clock set to 30:00 and blinking in his chubby arms. His nametag read in large black letters, "Ben."

"Our little friend is counting down the time for you, duckies!" A large grin spread over his face on the television screens surrounding the two titans. "See, the two lads behind me are quite the nappers." He shifted sideways, revealing an unconscious Cyborg and Beast Boy tied up and slumped against each other on the floor, their backs supporting each other. Their mouths were covered with tape. I don't think they want to leave just yet, so I don't mind watching over them for a while, you know? Maybe have that tea with them finally. . ."

"Where's Star!" Robin snarled, glaring at one of the screens in front of him. Mad Mod laughed.

"The little lass is busy right now, trying to fend the soldiers off. I don't think she's having much luck though, eh? With all of you currently wasting your time here, and all." He shrugged nonchalantly, sighing dramatically.

"You don't exactly have much time you know." he said, looking at his watch with a raised brow. "Oh, will you look at that? Down to twenty-five minutes, what a shame."

"Robin, come on." Raven grabbed his arm, jerking him away roughly before the Boy Wonder could hurl an insult and waste more of their precious time.

"Oh, and as for the bloke back home, don't worry about him. I'm sure he won't mind if I stop in for a chat." Raven and Robin froze for a moment, turning just in time to see Mad Mod readjust his rectangular, tinted glasses, a Cheshire smirk appearing on his face before the television screen went blank.

* * *

_"I was born."_

Now what in bloody hell could she have meant by _that_?

The Malfoy heir sat silently on the couch, his mind trying to wrap itself around everything that had been said and done. Unfortunately, it was like trying to put a 500 piece puzzle together made of clear glass pieces that all looked the same.

Where was that Mudblood when she was needed? It was at moments like these that he knew that Granger came in handy, no matter how irritable and annoying she may be. He knew for a fact, though grudgingly and would never breathe a word of his opinion on such, that it had been that frizz ball for hair that had gotten Potter out of quite some stints.

Though he doubted he would ever willingly tell her anything.

Especially now that he had helped murder the golden trio's favorite professor and all. . .not to mention caused quite some pain to their lackeys when escaping Hogwarts. Ever since then, things had been a blur of events he preferred not remembering, and as such tried unsuccessfully to shove them to the dark corners of his mind.

Funny, he was trying to shove something back and at the same time coax someone else's darkness out.

Raven.

She was such an enigma that he didn't know whether he understood or not.

At some levels, they seemed to be in perfect sync. But on others, they were totally different.

Draco wondered fleetingly if she had gotten the chance to go to Hogwarts, what house she would have been in. His mind screamed Ravenclaw, as predictable as it sounded. She certainly did fit the epitome profile of perfection for them.

For a moment an image of her and a brunette haired young man meeting crossed his mind. What would it have been like, having Potter meet the Titans? If it ever happened, he somehow felt that no matter how much Raven would push him away, Potter would somehow get through to her. It was just what a goody two shoes like him would do.

This made a scowl reach his pale features.

Potter.

"Past not so nice, eh?" He jumped at the sudden interruption, turning sharply to the front door of the den. His heart suddenly jumped to his throat as his eyes narrowed, his fists clenching and unclenching as he rose slowly from the couch. One of his hands slipped to the pocket of his jeans, fingering the slim and smooth surface of his wand. He swallowed hard, his voice easily slipping into the cold bite he was used to using when speaking to one Harry Potter.

"What do you want?"

The Englishman in front of him shrugged, his hands resting lazily on the cane before him. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, his stance casual and indifferent as he answered.

"I promised you a cup a' tea earlier, boy." He smirked. "I always keep to mine promises."

Draco unconsciously took a step back, a familiar scowl overtaking his features as his fingers twitched. How he itched to just pull his wand out.

"So," Mad Mod said, looking around the den as if he were a scrutinizing parent. His face was passive to the point of bored snobbery as he continued. "I see you've been doing quite well for someone who turned his back on his family and Lord."

"How do you know who I am?" Draco managed to grit out, ignoring the former comment. His hand had found its way into his pocket, pale fingers beginning to curl around his wand even though he knew it to be completely useless.

Damned if he did, and just as damned if he didn't.

"You see boy, things aren't as hush-hush as they seem. As if the papers didn't scream it enough." Mod said, rolling his eyes and shrugging as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Not to mention, old Voldy back home knows."

Draco felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head as the blood in his veins ran cold in shock.

_He knows._

Was it just him, or was his heartbeat drowning out every other sound in the room? Did the red-headed man before him hear it? Draco didn't doubt it.

"Of course, he doesn't know exactly where you have holed yourself up," Mod continued, "if he did he could've found the Potter boy by now, you know. But he's getting closer, Draco. And it won't be long until they step in to punish you for your-ahem- shall we say, less than spectacular stunt at Hogwarts? Of course, you could use your role in Dumbledore's death as leverage, yes? If you're lucky, he might just make your death painless."

A throaty chuckle.

The young man's mind was running a mile a minute with this information, his breathing getting erratic as his knees buckled and he fell to the floor, his wide, steely blue eyes falling on Mad Mod's platform shoes. He began breaking out in a cold sweat as he trembled, his mother's death replaying itself in his mind as her screams echoed and clanged off of the plates of his skull.

He somehow felt it in the back of his mind, like a small voice from his conscious that was waiting to be acknowledged. He knew he wouldn't make it out alive. He knew that no matter where he ran, Voldemort would always be there, waiting for him. Maybe not physically, but he would be there, clinging to the darkest corners of (not his heart) but his conscious being. There was no going back from the sins he had committed, and that was what consumed and devoured the whole of his heart. Two demons that burdened his back for the whole of the excruciating 24 hours of waking life.

"Duckie," Mod began, a laugh evident in his voice, "Time to go home, don't you agree?"

Draco lifted his gaze in alarm as a sharp breath entered his lungs.

_GET UP!_ A voice in his mind hissed. _I DON'T WANT TO EVER SEE VOLDEMORT AGAIN!_

Adrenaline suddenly rushed into him as his frozen muscles unlocked for quick movements. He quickly rose, pulling his wand out and pointing it straight at Mod. Screw being found. He'd take his chances for the moment or be found murdered in the Titans' den along with the lunatic before him.

"Draco, old boy," Mad Mod began as he readjusted his rectangular spectacles calmly.

"**IMMOBULUS**!"

A weak spark of light shot from Draco's wand, swirling in a whistle of sound similar to a firecracker, nearing the mad Englishman almost sluggishly in the rush of adrenaline. To Draco's dismay, he realized that as weak as it was, it began to fade more rapidly than he thought it would, only to fall short of the snickering Englishman.

Mad Mod smoothly flipping the top of the cane's jewel open and pressed the red button on top as Draco watched him with fear in his eyes. "It's about time someone took you back where you belong."

Mod watched as curiosity gained the better of the Slytherin, his gaze shifting to the movement that caught his attention in the corner of his left eye.

And when Draco turned fully, he was met with a Titans' large television screen-full of black and white swirls. He felt more than saw as his muscles suddenly lapsed into uselessness, his mind shutting down completely and his steely gaze going a dull grayish blue. He didn't even feel as his head hit the ground. As a matter of fact, he probably wouldn't remember anything past his attempt at the failed spell.

Mod smirked as he observed Draco's collapsed form on the floor, anxiousness making him hasty and snappy when ordering his robot soldiers to grab the boy and leave Titans' Tower. Nonetheless, he enjoyed a private snicker at the sheer simplicity of it all. If all was going well, the lass--Jinx, was it?--would be getting her share of success at the mall with the Titans.


	9. Down A Rabbit Hole

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Ch. 9: Down a Rabbit Hole**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It should have been _her_ winning. Really. It should have been _her_.

But things were looking a tad bit . . . not good.

She watched from the security room, the annoyance increasing as her shoulders tensed.

Little by little she began to unconsciously lean forward in the leather chair, barely acknowledging the presence of the knocked out mall security guards scattered around her where they had fallen. Her pale hands were clenching into fists of rage and her teeth gnashed together harshly as she let a growl of frustration escape from her throat.

The two Titans were cutting through the small army she had gathered (part of the good deal with Mod) and she didn't have many more left. They were currently in the food court battling and pushing away from the cinema where she had "hidden" their friends.

Things weren't good. And if the other Hive students got a hold of this failure, she'd _never_ live it down. Not to mention the lost opportunity at having her name recognized by the higher ups she was trying to reach.

Her glowing eyes then flickered to the screen where she watched a quick one-on-one between Robin and one of the soldiers. She followed them move for move, her muscles tensing with the thought of battle and her brain trying to read the Boy Wonder's next attack.

It came as a great surprise then, when Robin brought up a faulty punch that ended up leaving a small opening where the robot soldier took advantage and sent the Titan flying back.

As she sat there, watching him struggle to get up with his partner trying to protect him, she realized that the Titans were getting tired. Maybe they hadn't gotten enough sleep that night, or did hard training, or something of the like. But whatever it was, it was giving her the edge she needed right now.

Robin was getting impatient with the clock ticking above his head and his movements were getting both sloppy and reckless.

As for Raven, her spells were letting out small bursts of magic with an extra kick of power behind them. She too sensed the urgency of the moment and was becoming as impatient as her comrade.

And the final conscious Titan, Starfire, wasn't faring too well on her own while desperately searching for the last—Cyborg and Beast Boy.

It was perfect; they had walked into the trap without a second thought. It almost seemed too perfect, too flawless to be true. And yet here she was, watching Robin get thrown into a wall as Raven was driven back in a quick hand-to-hand battle.

Jinx's fingers tingled with fury that melted into the blast of excitement, her hand flexing as she thought of the coming adrenaline rush of her next move. It was all slowly working out in its own fashion for her, falling into place so perfectly that she was beginning to feel the victory in her veins when only moments before she could taste the defeat on the tip of her tongue. Things wouldn't, and probably couldn't, get any better than this for her.

Now was the time for her final strike.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Fourteen-"

"Yes, I know!" Robin interrupted Raven, ducking from a swung bayonet. Taking the opening that the British clad toy soldier left, the boy wonder took aim and swung a harsh fist straight into the metal belly, sending the soldier flying back.

"Robin-" He turned to look at the sorceress beside him. She frowned, wrapping another soldier in her black magic and spreading her hands to her sides. The magic followed her moves, mimicking them in a tug-of-war that forced the soldier to come apart into many mechanical pieces that fell harmlessly to the ground.

Her violet eyes locked with his and she jerked her head in the direction where they were supposed to go.

Robin stood there for a moment, echoes of heavy footsteps becoming louder as another fresh batch of soldiers began to appear. He really shouldn't leave her here, but they both knew it was the best tactic. They didn't have any time to waste on elaborate plans with about ten minutes left. But still, he couldn't help the hesitation that was revealed in his expression and refusal to move.

Her face was grim as she watched his internal struggle. Opening her mouth, she was about to rush him into leaving but he beat her to it as his face returned to normal.

"I'll be back."

She nodded, standing in the middle of the chaotic mess that was once the food court as Robin left her with the task of beating the soldiers and a direct order to be careful, to which she readily agreed.

Firing up her magic, she closed her eyes and concentrated on creating some form of tangible fighting substance. Raising her glowing hands, a wall of magic formed just as she had willed, seeming as if someone had built it brick by brick to stand firmly before her. Her arms began to tremble with the weight of the wall but she held firm, her lips forming the words that had long been engrained into her memory.

"_Azarath Metrion Zinthos. . . Azarath Metrion Zinthos. . ."_

Their footsteps were coming closer. She could feel the way their heavy footfalls pounded harshly on the ground, sending tremor after tremor into her mind's eye and causing her to flinch with every approaching step.

The wall flickered dangerously-sort of like when static went through an unclear image. Feeling this, Raven scowled, pushing forward whatever force she could muster to keep the spell solid. But this added more weight to her already major load and she nearly buckled under the weight.

"_Azarath Metrion Zin. . . thos. . ."_

They were almost to her. If she opened her eyes she would see how they took their bayonets and aimed at the wall, firing round after round of ammunition that got stuck in her magic like a spoon in jello. There was sweat on her brow from holding the strong spell so long and her arms trembled violently from the pressure, but she refused to give in just yet.

"_Aza. . . rath. . . Metri-. . . –on. . ."_

It was then her ears caught the sound of their steps and she realized that they were close enough. Gathering her reserves of magic, she mustered what power she could and forced it into her hands.

"_ZINTHOS!" _Raising her arms above her head, she brought them down together. The wall followed, collapsing into what seemed like a stolen tidal wave that flew up and curved gracefully as it bent to come crashing down on the horde of soldiers that dared to confront her.

True to their name, the toy soldiers fell and broke into piles of scattered cheap metals in shades of reds and blacks. There were mechanical limbs everywhere and bayonets fallen among scattered sparking limbs.

Still, even after such a one-sided victory, there was a nagging feeling like an itch in her mind.

Raven chose to ignore it, if only for a second to allow herself a pause before she would try and rejoin Robin. She was breathing hard, her arms tired from the force she had been controlling and it seemed like the wave hadn't crashed on the soldiers, but on herself. She was down on all fours, her lungs almost crushed by the force of the spell and her arms feeling extremely weak to the point of trembling with the most minimal of her weight. Some of the after-effects of the spells she did hit her harder than others, and now was definitely one of the former.

It was a quick spell but it had its bad points; now she remembered why she didn't use it much.

Well, that and it had been Malchior who had taught it to her. It had drained a lot more out of her than she had originally anticipated, and now she was worried reasonably enough that if more soldiers were to come, she barely had enough magic to hold out while Robin got back. There really was no choice, seeing as she didn't have enough in her to teleport a retreat back to the tower. Heck, she didn't have enough to teleport downstairs!

And maybe that was her mistake.

Because a few moments later Jinx slipped into the food court completely unnoticed. Usually Raven would've felt her aura in a split second, but the depletion of magic left her senses temporarily drained and her body completely defenseless.. She didn't even have a chance to turn as Jinx fired up a quick ball of magic and hurled it at the violet haired witch before her without hesitation.

It took Raven down by utter surprise from behind, forcing her to arch her back and yell in pain as the spell caught the lower of her spinal column. Even through the thick of her cloak and leotard it felt horrid, filling her nostrils with the smell of burnt cloth and flesh while sending white hot pain signals screaming through her frazzled mind.

As Jinx laughed at the display, Raven fell over like a rag doll, trying desperately in her current state to understand what had just happened. Her mind, in a final desperate attempt to spare her the pain shut down completely and left the vulnerable young woman unconscious on the cold tiles of Jump City Mall.

One down, two to go.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

There was fire.

Faces from the past, voices, places he had long tried to forget . . . all of them, here before him now in a messed up movie that played before his closed eyes with the volume down so low his ears could barely catch even the loudest of screams.

He shifted then, his silver-blonde brow furrowing unconsciously as in the back of his mind he recognized the distinct clinking of metal—this noise crystal clear.

Chains.

There was movement then, but not his own. Somewhere, a tiny random neuron decided to click into being, stimulating his curiosity as he randomly wondered, _who is it_?

Forcing his eyes open, he squinted as he tried to adjust to the dark of the room. It smelled moldy and rotten. Almost like . . .

"Took you long enough." Immediately his blue eyes slipped from the wall opposite him to a dark corner where he had failed to notice someone sitting.

"I almost took you for dead." The voice was laced with a thick British accent and obviously male. Something clicked in his mind as he frowned automatically in thought. A ripple of tension ran through him.

That voice . . . it felt. . . _familiar_ somehow. . .

As he kept his gaze there, squinting into the shadows, it was only then that he realized why that voice had seemed to strike something within his mind; why it seemed so familiar.

Because it was.

When this realization hit him, at first, he didn't no how to react. What was he to say to an enemy. . . or were they former enemies now? No, that would not be right. Even if Draco had lost, he'd never consider him anything good. The halfwit always seemed to be dragging trouble around, and the last thing the blonde needed was more of that.

But he couldn't help it then; he smirked.

"Well, bloody hell." He said, laughing hoarsely in the dark. "If it isn't my ol' chum Potter."

There was clanking then, and Draco realized that Harry was shifting to sit in the small ray of moonlight that came in through a barred window to his left.

"No matter how many times I try, I can't seem to get rid of you for good." His emerald gaze was piercing, cold, and unrelenting. The blonde didn't flinch under the scrutiny; he had long ago grown accustomed to it.

"I could say the same, you know." He retorted evenly.

The face Draco had learned to loathe was there, and yet it wasn't.

As they stared each other down in the silence, he realized that Harry had changed over the time they had been apart. He no longer looked innocent and young. There was a hardness to his features, a strength of will that could only be achieved by war and the shredding of what once was hope. It was obvious in the lines in his face, the way his brow came down in a look of fury, and the fire that burned in his green eyes.

A new scar marred his jawline and his hair had grown enough to cover his ears. The robes he wore were tattered, dirty, and in a state beyond any chance of repair.

He was barefoot.

"Gave up finally?" Draco said, his old haughty drawl taking over.

It couldn't be helped really, this smugness and sense of winning over the other young man. Seeing him sitting there, in rags and chains, barefoot and probably starving, Draco _relished_ it. Because this was the hero, the man of the hour, the one sickeningly foolish boy who felt the need to right every wrong; the name on everyone's lips.

_Harry Potter._

Harry didn't answer, instead turning his gaze to the small window.

"I made a mistake is all. But I'll be out soon, you'll see."

Again with the foolish hope. Did this idiot never learn? Or did he know something . . . that Draco didn't?

"I won't ask where you've been . . ." Harry said, not moving from where he was, "I don't want to know."

"Fair enough." Draco said, looking at Harry's outlined profile in the moonlight.

"Stay on your side, I'll stay on mine." He said, sliding back to lean his head against the wall. His upper face was shrowded by the shadows then, only allowing Draco a view of the other young man's lips moving as he spoke. " I don't want anything to do with you."

Unfazed, Draco shrugged and moved back to lean against "his" wall.

"Fair enough." He muttered, closing his eyes.

If ever there was a good thing Lucius had instilled in him, it was that the hole could always get deeper so he should enjoy what he still could, no matter how dark it seemed. Because hell, he was right and currently, that damn hole was quickly becoming worse.

Ar the moment, the only thing he had left for himself was the sanctuary of sleep—or at least he hoped so. With all the random nightmares and strange dreams he had had during his short stay at Titans' Tower, he wasn't even sure his mind was his own anymore--another little concern that made his hole deeper.

But he would worry about that later.

Right now his body ached for rest. He could honestly say he felt like he hadn't slept in years, and that was his only concern for now. He didn't care that he was getting hungry, or that his left cheek was swollen as if someone had hit him when they must've thrown him into the cell, or that his right leg had fallen asleep.

Weariness draped over him like a heavy blanket.

And not caring if Harry Potter dared kill him while asleep or not, Draco fell into a fitful slumber in the darkness of the cell, with only an enemy as his companion.


End file.
